Anti-addiction measures added to proposed Japanese casino legislation

In Japan, lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic/Komeito coalition reportedly introduced legislation on Friday that would insert a series of anti-addiction measures into the nation’s proposed Integrated Resort Implementation Bill.

According to a report from Asia Gaming Brief, the surprise move came with less than a week of the current legislative season remaining and means that the casino-enabling Integrated Resort Implementation Bill may now not be put to a full vote before early-summer.

“In reality, there are many people who are under stress both financially and physically due to gambling,” reportedly read a statement from Liberal Democratic representative Gen Nakatani. “In regards to such people, we decided to move with haste to submit this bill and to establish our basic response.”

Although most casino gambling is currently illegal in Japan, legislators led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s conservative Liberal Democratic Party controversially ratified the enabling Integrated Resort Promotion Act a year ago that could see the nation via the Integrated Resort Implementation Bill legalize up to four integrated casino resorts additionally featuring hotels, shops and conference spaces. The 63-year-old subsequently survived a snap September general election before going on to establish a new governing coalition with the more moderate Komeito political party that currently controls 67% of the 465 seats in the House of Representatives.

In response to last week’s Liberal Democratic/Komeito move, the minority Constitutional Democratic opposition political party reportedly proposed a measure of its own that would annul last year’s Integrated Resort Promotion Act. Asia Gaming Brief explained that this is indicative of the many efforts by those on the marginal left of Japanese politics, which additionally encompass Communist and the Social Democratic lawmakers, to oppose any attempts to legalize casino gambling.

Anti-addiction measures added to proposed Japanese casino legislation was last modified: December 4th, 2017 by Adam Morgan